Classic Cooking Techniques

Careful preparation is the foundation of all Thai cooking, from preparing and chopping ingredients to grinding spices and washing and trimming garnishes. Once the ingredients are prepared, then the cooking, which is often relatively quick, can commence.

There are a few classic preparation and cooking techniques upon which the whole Thai cuisine relies. The most important, without a doubt, is the preparation of spices and herbs, which give Thai dishes their unique flavour and character. Traditional Thai cooks prepare almost everything from scratch (although in the West, there are a number of very good readymade ingredients such as curry pastes that can be great time-savers).